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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Creamy Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta

    Published: Oct 1, 2020 · Modified: Sep 9, 2021 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Creamy Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta Pin with text overlay.

    This creamy smoked bacon and pumpkin pasta is so easy to make and packs a punch in flavour!

    Roasted pumpkin, garlic, and rosemary get whizzed up in a food processor with cooked smoky bacon, cream, Parmesan, and mustard to make the most luxurious smooth pasta sauce you will ever taste!

    Pumpkin pasta in serving bowls sprinkled with bacon.

    Well what can I say...this creamy bacon and pumpkin pasta recipe is right up there with my all-time favourite pasta recipes!

    The pumpkin, garlic, and rosemary are roasted in the oven, with the smoked bacon rashers added for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Then it's just a case of whizzing it all up in a food processor or blender, with single cream, mustard, Parmesan, and a cup of pasta cooking water, to make a silky smooth and glossy pumpkin pasta sauce which tastes AMAZING!

    Love Pasta? Try my hot smoked salmon and asparagus pasta!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you try it?
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQS
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you try it?

    • Comforting and hearty
    • Easy to make
    • Autumnal pasta recipe

    🥘 Ingredients

    • Pasta - the sauce is rich and filling so you will only need 350g of pasta to serve 5 people.
    • Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons drizzled over the pumpkin before roasting.
    • Pumpkin - 1 small pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, and chopped into bite-size chunks.
    • Rosemary - a woody herb that pairs so well with pumpkin.
    • Garlic Cloves - kept in their skins whilst roasting.
    • Smoked Streaky Bacon - 6 rashers are needed.
    • Single Cream - helps create that silky smooth sauce.
    • Parmesan - you can't have pasta without Parmesan!
    • Dijon Mustard - delivers a wonderful bite and depth of flavour to the sauce.
    • Lemon Juice - a squeeze of fresh lemon juice helps cut through the creamy richness of the sauce.

    🔪 Instructions

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Preheat the oven to 190°c (170 fan/ 375F/ Gas 5) and place the cubed pumpkin, garlic cloves (in skin), and rosemary in a large roasting tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 35 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

    Two: Lay the bacon rashers over the pumpkin and pop the tray back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions and before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water for the sauce.

    Three: Once the bacon is cooked, tip everything into a food processor (reserving 2 rashers of bacon for sprinkling on top of the pasta later). Make sure you squeeze the garlic from the skins first though! Whilst the processor is on add the cream, mustard, Parmesan, lemon juice, and as much pasta cooking water as you need to create a smooth pasta sauce.

    Four: Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and serve sprinkled with chopped smoked bacon and more grated Parmesan.

    Step by step photo instructions for making the bacon and pumpkin pasta.

    💭 Top tips

    • Don't forget to squeeze the cooked garlic from their skins before you put them in the food processor.
    • The reserved pasta water is essential for making the sauce silky, smooth and glossy, so reserve a cupful before you drain the pasta.
    • Add other herbs such as thyme or oregano if you have them to hand. The more herbs the better!
    A bowl of creamy bacon and pumpkin pasta sprinkled with Parmesan.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    This is one filling meal, so there really isn't any need to serve extras with this creamy pasta, although if you wanted to, this yummy focaccia would fit the bill. A dry white wine such as a sauvignon blanc would go really well with the pasta and cut through the richness of the sauce.

    📖 Variations

    • Swap the pumpkin for butternut squash.
    • Make it veggie by omitting the bacon and using vegetarian hard cheese instead of Parmesan.
    • Increase the veggies by adding petit pois or fresh spinach leaves to the pasta for the last few minutes of cooking.
    • Make it healthier by swapping the single cream for half fat creme fraiche. You will need more pasta cooking water to thin the sauce out.

    🥡 Storage

    This is one pasta recipe where eating it fresh is best! Any excess sauce can be stored in the fridge and reheated, but it won't have the same glossy silky smooth consistency.

    ❓ FAQS

    How do I prepare a pumpkin for roasting?

    1. Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half.
    2. Using a spoon, deseed the middle of the pumpkin, making sure you remove all of the seeds and stringy membrane.
    3. Peel the skin with a sharp knife.
    4. Finally, cut the pumpkin into bitesize chunks ready for roasting in the oven.

    😋Related recipes

    Some more delicious pasta recipes to try!

    • Easy Chorizo and Pepper Pasta
    • Creamy Boursin Pasta
    • Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
    • Halloumi Pasta
    • Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
    • Easy Pesto Pasta
    • Caramelised Shallot Pasta
    • Slow Cooker Extra Vegetable Pasta
    • Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake

    Don't want to miss a thing?

    Grab your free pantry checklist!

    🍽️ More family-friendly recipes

    • Easy Leftover Chicken Curry Recipe
    • Easy Spicy Chicken Pizza Recipe
    • Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Recipe
    • Slow Cooker Beef Keema Curry Recipe

    Recipe

    Bacon and pumpkin pasta in a bowl.
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    4.73 from 11 votes

    Creamy Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta

    This creamy smoked bacon and pumpkin pasta is so easy to make and packs a punch in flavour! Roasted pumpkin, garlic, and rosemary get whizzed up in a food processor with cooked smoky bacon, cream, Parmesan and mustard to make the most luxurious smooth pasta sauce you will ever taste!
    Course Pasta
    Cuisine British
    Keyword bacon and pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pasta
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Servings 5
    Calories 693kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Food Processor
    • Chopping Board
    • Roasting Tin
    • Knife
    • Kitchen Scales

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 350 g Pasta
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 500 g Pumpkin peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
    • 2 Rosemary sprigs
    • 4 Garlic Cloves in their skins
    • 6 Smoked Bacon rashers
    • 300 ml Single Cream
    • 75 g Parmesan grated
    • ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • Salt and Pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 190°c (170 fan/ 375F/ Gas 5). Place the cubed pumpkin, rosemary and garlic in their skins in a large roasting tin. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes.
    • Meanwhile cook the pasta according to instructions and reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water for later.
    • Take the roasting tray out of the oven and lay the 6 bacon rashers on top. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
    • Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and place the pumpkin, rosemary, garlic and 4 of the bacon rashers (reserving the remaining 2 rashers for sprinkling on top of the pasta later) in a food processor with the single cream, lemon juice, Parmesan and dijon mustard. Blitz in the processor until smooth, then gradually add enough of the reserved pasta water to make a glossy silky pumpkin pasta sauce.
    • Toss the pumpkin sauce with the pasta then chop the reserved bacon rashers into small pieces and sprinkle on top.

    Notes

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
    Nutrition Facts
    Creamy Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    693
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    42
    g
    65
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    19
    g
    119
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    153
    mg
    51
    %
    Sodium
     
    457
    mg
    20
    %
    Potassium
     
    645
    mg
    18
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    60
    g
    20
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    21
    g
    42
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    9281
    IU
    186
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    11
    mg
    13
    %
    Calcium
     
    269
    mg
    27
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram or Twitter

    #CookBlogShare

    I'm linking this recipe up to #CookBlogShare which this week is hosted by Recipes Made Easy.

    Cook Blog Share

    More Easy Pasta Recipes

    • Easy Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Recipe
    • Cheesy Slow Cooker Tortellini Recipe
    • Cheesy Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake Recipe
    • Easy Leftover Gammon & Pea Pasta Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chloe Edges

      October 01, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      Yup I'm in. I'm totally obsessed with squash and rosemary and every single flavour in this is going to work brilliantly. It's on the meal plan!

      Reply
    2. Jeannette

      October 02, 2020 at 9:55 am

      5 stars
      Pumpkin and pasta is such a heavenly combination, especially with cream involved! Love how simple this recipe is. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Sue

      October 02, 2020 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      What a lovely fresh take on pasta sauce. Can't wait to give it a try!

      Reply
    4. Toni Dash

      October 02, 2020 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      This quickly became a favorite meal at my house! It was so good!

      Reply
    5. Jess

      October 02, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! Who knew two of my favorite flavors could come together so well in one dish!

      Reply
    6. Jacqui - Recipes Made Easy:Only Crumbs Remain

      October 02, 2020 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      Love pasta with pumpkin, and I like your way of thinking with the added bacon even better! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare

      Reply
    7. Maria

      October 04, 2020 at 4:52 am

      5 stars
      This I am all in! I mean good pasta, plus a super creamy sauce to match. That is like a perfect combination. What makes it extra is the smoked bacon factor. Wow! Can't wait to do this. A twist to regular spaghetti or pasta dishes.

      Reply
    8. Cat | Curly's Cooking

      October 04, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      This looks and sounds delicious. The flavours are so comforting and Autumnal.

      Reply
    9. Corina Blum

      October 05, 2020 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      It looks delicious and I love the warm colour that the pumpkin gives to the pasta sauce - It looks so inviting!

      Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

    More about me →

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